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EP-4738294-A1 - JET TURBINE ENGINE MONITORING AND MAINTENANCE METHOD AND APPARATUS

EP4738294A1EP 4738294 A1EP4738294 A1EP 4738294A1EP-4738294-A1

Abstract

A control circuit (102, 103) determines (201) a first period of time during which an apparatus (100) was operating, then aggregates (202) data from a plurality of data sources (101) that corresponds to that first period of time to provide aggregated data, and then determines (203) whether the aggregated data meets a standard for quantitative sufficiency. By one approach, determining whether the aggregated data meets a standard for quantitative sufficiency can comprise determining whether the aggregated data meets a standard for quantitative sufficiency as a function of assessing the intermittency of data from at least some of the plurality of data sources. Assessing that intermittency of data from at least some of the plurality of data sources can comprise comparing (302) received data to corresponding intermittency signatures.

Inventors

  • COMBS, Nicholas
  • MARTÍNEZ CASTILLO, Fernando
  • KETELAAR, Patrick John
  • JUAREZ GARCIA, Jorge Cristopher
  • MERSHON, MARTIN SCOTT

Assignees

  • General Electric Company

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20251022

Claims (13)

  1. A method for use with a jet turbine engine-powered aircraft (100) having a plurality of data sources (101), operating periods of time, and non-operating periods of time, the plurality of data sources including an Aircraft Condition Monitoring System (105) and an Electronic Engine Control (106), the method comprising: by a control circuit (102, 103): determining (201) a first period of time during which the jet turbine engine-powered aircraft was operating; aggregating (202) data from the plurality of data sources that corresponds to the first period of time to provide aggregated data; determining (203) whether the aggregated data meets a standard for quantitative sufficiency; when the aggregated data fails to meet the standard for quantitative sufficiency, identifying (204) at least one candidate root cause as a function, at least in part, of data source intermittency; determining whether to trigger a maintenance activity as regards an on-board component of the jet turbine engine-powered aircraft as a function of the at least one candidate root cause; upon determining to trigger a maintenance activity, determining whether to trigger a maintenance activity for an operator of the jet turbine engine-powered aircraft or for a manufacturer of the jet turbine engine-powered aircraft; upon determining to trigger a maintenance activity for the operator of the jet turbine engine-powered aircraft, triggering the maintenance activity for the operator of the jet turbine engine-powered aircraft; following the triggering of the maintenance activity for the operator of the jet turbine engine-powered aircraft, the operator conducting the maintenance activity; upon determining to trigger a maintenance activity for the manufacturer of the jet turbine engine-powered aircraft, triggering the maintenance activity for the manufacturer of the jet turbine engine-powered aircraft; and following the triggering of the maintenance activity for the manufacturer of the jet turbine engine-powered aircraft, the manufacturer conducting the maintenance activity.
  2. The method of claim 1 wherein the Aircraft Condition Monitoring System (105) includes data sources that capture data corresponding to start, takeoff, climb, and cruise states of operation and the Electronic Engine Control (106) includes data sources that capture data corresponding to descent and landing states of operation.
  3. The method of claim 2 wherein the operating periods of time each correspond to a flight time for the jet turbine engine-powered aircraft (100).
  4. The method of any of claims 1-3 wherein determining (203) whether the aggregated data meets a standard for quantitative sufficiency comprises determining whether the aggregated data meets a standard for quantitative sufficiency as a function of assessing intermittency of data from at least some of the plurality of data sources.
  5. The method of claim 4 wherein assessing the intermittency of data from at least some of the plurality of data sources comprises comparing received data to corresponding intermittency signatures for the at least some of the plurality of data sources.
  6. The method of claim 5 wherein at least some of the corresponding intermittency signatures represent normal intermittency.
  7. The method of claim 5 or 6 wherein comparing the received data to corresponding intermittency signatures for the at least some of the plurality of data sources comprises: forming (301) received data intermittency signatures for the at least some of the plurality of data sources; and comparing (302) the received data intermittency signatures against the corresponding intermittency signatures to identify abnormal intermittency.
  8. The method of any of claims 4-6 wherein assessing the intermittency of data from at least some of the plurality of data sources comprises representing the data from at least some of the plurality of data sources with binary representations.
  9. The method of any of claims 1-7 further comprising: when the aggregated data fails to meet the standard for quantitative sufficiency, identifying (204) at least one candidate root cause as a function, at least in part, of data source intermittency.
  10. The method of claim 9 wherein identifying the at least one candidate root cause as a function, at least in part, of data source intermittency comprises identifying the at least one candidate root cause as a function, at least in part, of a generated signature of data source intermittency.
  11. An apparatus for use with a jet turbine engine-powered aircraft (100) having a plurality of data sources (101), operating periods of time, and non-operating periods of time, the plurality of data sources including an Aircraft Condition Monitoring System (105) and an Electronic Engine Control (106), the apparatus comprising: a control circuit (102. 103) configured to: determine (201) a first period of time during which the jet turbine engine-powered aircraft was operating; aggregate (202) data from the plurality of data sources that corresponds to the first period of time to provide aggregated data; determine (203) whether the aggregated data meets a standard for quantitative sufficiency; when the aggregated data fails to meet the standard for quantitative sufficiency, identifying (204) at least one candidate root cause as a function, at least in part, of data source intermittency; determining whether to trigger a maintenance activity as regards an on-board component of the jet turbine engine-powered aircraft as a function of the at least one candidate root cause; upon determining to trigger a maintenance activity, determine whether to trigger a maintenance activity for an operator of the jet turbine engine-powered aircraft or for a manufacturer of the jet turbine engine-powered aircraft; upon determining to trigger a maintenance activity for the operator of the jet turbine engine-powered aircraft, trigger the maintenance activity for the operator of the jet turbine engine-powered aircraft; and upon determining to trigger a maintenance activity for the manufacturer of the jet turbine engine-powered aircraft, trigger the maintenance activity for the manufacturer of the jet turbine engine-powered aircraft.
  12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the Aircraft Condition Monitoring System (105) includes data sources that capture data corresponding to start, takeoff, climb, and cruise states of operation and the Electronic Engine Control (106) includes data sources that capture data corresponding to descent and landing states of operation.
  13. The apparatus of any of claims 11-12 wherein the control circuit (102, 103) is configured to execute the method of any of claims 1-10.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD These teachings relate generally to data flow monitoring and more particularly to data flow monitoring corresponding to the operation of jet turbine engines. BACKGROUND Many apparatuses, such as jet turbine engines, have multiple sources of data pertaining to the operation of the apparatus. The resultant data can help to predict maintenance actions or to diagnose non-standard operations. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Various needs are at least partially met through provision of the jet turbine engine monitoring and maintenance apparatus and method described in the following detailed description, particularly when studied in conjunction with the drawings. A full and enabling disclosure of the aspects of the present description, including the best mode thereof, directed to one of ordinary skill in the art, is set forth in the specification, which refers to the appended figures, in which: FIG. 1A comprises a block diagram as configured in accordance with various embodiments of these teachings;FIG. 1B comprises a block diagram as configured in accordance with various embodiments of these teachings;FIG. 2 comprises a flow diagram as configured in accordance with various embodiments of these teachings;FIG. 3 comprises a flow diagram as configured in accordance with various embodiments of these teachings;FIG. 4 comprises a flow diagram as configured in accordance with various embodiments of these teachings;FIG. 5 comprises a schematic diagram as configured in accordance with various embodiments of these teachings;FIG. 6 comprises a screen shot as configured in accordance with various embodiments of these teachings;FIG. 7 comprises a screen shot as configured in accordance with various embodiments of these teachings; andFIG. 8 comprises a graphic depiction as configured in accordance with various embodiments of these teachings. Elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present teachings. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present teachings. Certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required. DETAILED DESCRIPTION In order to use analytics to accurately predict maintenance actions or to diagnose or troubleshoot non-standard operations, the applicant has determined that such analysis should be informed as to whether a given apparatus has in fact operated, whether data was received for that operation, and whether the received data is complete. These can be significant challenges, particularly in the context of aviation application settings. Generally speaking, the various aspects of the present disclosure can be employed with a method for use with an apparatus (such as a jet turbine engine) having a plurality of data sources, operating periods of time (such as flight time for an aircraft), and non-operating periods of time. These teachings can provide for a control circuit determining a first period of time during which the apparatus was operating, then aggregating data from the plurality of data sources that corresponds to that first period of time to provide aggregated data, and then determining whether the aggregated data meets a standard for quantitative sufficiency. By one approach, determining whether the aggregated data meets a standard for quantitative sufficiency can comprise determining whether the aggregated data meets a standard for quantitative sufficiency as a function of assessing the intermittency of data from at least some of the plurality of data sources. Assessing that intermittency of data from at least some of the plurality of data sources can comprise comparing received data to corresponding intermittency signatures for the at least some of the plurality of data sources. By one approach, at least some of those corresponding intermittency signatures can represent normal intermittency. By one approach, comparing the received data to corresponding intermittency signatures for the at least some of the plurality of data sources can comprise forming received data intermittency signatures for the at least some of the plurality of data sources and then comparing the received data intermittency signatures against the corresponding intermittency signatures to identify abnormal intermittency. By one approach, assessing the intermittency of data from at least some of the plurality of data sources can comprise representing the data from at least some of the plurality of data sources with bi